Who doesn’t love food? Food is so much more than sustenance. Often, humans build lasting memories surrounding food. Food brings us together and it can truly be a work of art, delighting our senses in so many ways.
We all need to eat and with our lives getting busier and busier, the thought of a nice sit-down meal is becoming more fleeting. With people’s hectic schedules getting more crazy by the day, they’ll often eat their meals when driving. While eating while driving may sound harmless, in reality it’s anything but. It can be downright dangerous, not to mention messy!
Eating & Driver Distraction
Most people can recall a time in a state of starvation, they hit the drive-thru and either ordered a hamburger or burrito. As they pulled away from the drive-thru, they started to unpeel the wrapper and they put their delicious food in their mouth while the car was in the drive and their foot was on the gas pedal. Before they knew it, the burger or burrito started to leak everywhere until some kind of special sauce spilled all over their clothes – so frustrating!
Food can be delicious, but it can also be a recipe for a seriously distracted driver. Most people have done it, and lots of people do it on a daily basis. A French fry here or there may seem harmless, but eating while driving is no joke; it’s dangerous and can lead to a distracted driving accident. If you thought only texting while driving was a concern, think again. Eating while driving is distracting and should be avoided at all costs.
How can eating and driving get me in trouble?
- Spills: When ketchup, mayo, jelly, ranch dressing, mustard, hot sauce, and cheese spill on your shirt or pants, you’re probably going to look down. You may also reach in the bag for napkins to try and clean up the mess before a stain sets in.
- Burns: If you spill burning hot coffee on your lap, all kinds of bad things can happen. You can jump, swerve the wheel, or lose control of your vehicle as you’re processing your injury.
- Trouble with wrappers: Wrappers can be hard to open. If you’re trying to open a candy bar or rip open some other kind of wrapper, your eyes can go off the road, and your hands can go off the wheel as you struggle to open the wrapper.
You should NOT be multitasking when driving. So, if you have no choice but to eat in the car, or if it’s just the most convenient, please pull over and put the car in park before you get started. If you were injured in a car accident because of a distracted driver, contact our firm to file a claim.